This document provides an overview of biological anthropology and evolution. It defines biological anthropology as the study of humans from a biological perspective using a scientific framework. It states that evolution is defined as genetic changes within populations over time, and is considered a fact as it has been repeatedly observed, for example with MRSA bacteria and Archaeopteryx fossils. The document goes on to explain that evolutionary theory refers to scientific explanations for the fact of evolution, the most well-known being Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection which proposed that organisms with traits adapted for their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

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Biological Anthropology:
Evolution

2. Anthropology
• Anthropology: the holistic study of
humanity.
• In the US, Anthropology is broken up
into four main sub-fields.
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Cultural Anthropology
Biological
Anthropology
Archaeology
Linguistic
Anthropology

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Biological Anthropology
• Biological Anthropology is the study of
the human species from a biological
perspective.
• Biological anthropologists rely on a
scientific framework to make their
claims about humans.

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Scientific Framework
• If something cannot be observed with
the senses it can not be studied
scientifically.
• Similarly, things that cannot be
observed cannot be used for scientific
explanations.

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Evolution
Evolution: Fact or Theory?

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What is a fact?
A fact is something that has been
repeatedly observed and verified.

8. Hypothesis
• A hypothesis is an educated guess as
to why something observed happens.
• Hypotheses are tested to determine
their accuracy.
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What is a theory?
A theory is an well-supported
explanation for why something
observed (facts) occurs.
Theories are derived from hypotheses
that have continually provided accurate
explanations.

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Evolution
Evolution is defined as change (in gene
frequencies) within populations over time.

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Evolution is Fact
• Changes in gene frequencies within
populations have been observed many
times.

12. MRSA: Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
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13. Archaeopteryx Fossil
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Theories of Evolution
Numerous scientists have attempted to
explain the fact of evolution. This is
what is meant by evolutionary theory.

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Theory of Natural Selection
Charles Darwin published The Origin of
Species, in 1859. This book outlined his
theory (or explanation) of evolution.

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Darwin’s First Point
• Within any population there is variation.

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Darwin’s Second Point
• Darwin suggested some of these
characteristics were transmitted from
parents to offspring.

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Darwin’s Third Point
• More organisms are born than can be
supported by the environment. Limited
resources result in some level of
competition between organisms.

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Darwin’s Observations
• Darwin suggested that some traits
provided an advantage to organisms
within a given environment.

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Darwin’s conclusion
Natural Selection: Organisms
possessing traits that make them well-
adapted to their environment have a
greater chance of surviving and passing
on their traits to their offspring than
those less well-adapted,

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The Peppered Moth

22. Moths on Birch Tree
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23. Evolution is NOT…
• Evolution is not necessarily about
becoming more “advanced” or
“complex.”
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24. Evolution
• Evolution relies on random
mutations…just because a trait would
be desirable in a given situation does
NOT mean it will necessarily emerge.
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25. Jean-Baptiste Lamark (1744-
1829)
• Jean-Baptiste Lamark
was a naturalist that
provided an
interpretation of
evolutionary change
that has since been
disproven.
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26. Lamark’s View
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